Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-14

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

All university undergraduate courses should include a period of time spent studying abroad or doing a work placement.

Do you think the advantages of this would outweigh the disadvantages?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

All university undergraduate courses should include a period of time spent studying abroad or doing a work placement. It is beneficial for student to gain experience and improve practical knowledge. However, it is to expensive and students may face some difficulties.

On the one hand, Universities are too much focus on theoretical knowldge, students can not do which they learn. work placement create student employment chance and learn practical things. In addtion students make industrial experiences and that improve their cv for future better job purpose. For instance, student who take internship create a strong chance of their employment in big MNC companies Study abroad encourage them to learn with new technology, platforms and enviornment, thus student develop their idea worldwide. in addtion, student have indepednce and built them strong from strugle. for example, students can enjoy their indepence inother country and become responsible person.

On the other hand, studying in abroad student may face difficulties for living expences, accomadation, rent, travel tickets and university fees. Moreover, students who are financial weak that can not able study abroad. In addition, students leave their parents for long time hence, it create problem for too student to manage their study and work part time job to pay their university fees. Therefore, universities should provide a scholarship or sponsore their study.

In my opinion study abroad or work placement have more the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

in conclusion.it benefical for students gain more experice and practical knowledge too help in their future. In addition, student enjoy indepedce and know about new things. However, that make difficulty for student for financialy, strugle in other country so, university should provide fund for them. In my point of view the advantages of this would outweigh the disadvantages.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both the benefits and drawbacks and give a clear overall view: “the advantages ... outweigh the disadvantages.” Relevant benefits include practical experience, improved employment prospects, independence and exposure to new environments; you also recognise costs and separation from parents. This covers the task, but some points are more fully explained than others. The work-placement argument is supported by an employment example, while the claims about new technology and independence are less clearly connected to how they benefit students. The disadvantages are identified but could be developed with a specific example or explanation of how universities might make placements accessible. The 26 words copied from the task prompt were not counted.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for advantages and disadvantages, and a conclusion. This helps the reader follow the main contrast, and signposts such as “On the one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” show the intended progression. However, connections between ideas are sometimes mechanical or unclear. For example, “In addition” is repeated, and the sentence beginning “In addition, students leave their parents” combines separation, study and part-time work without clearly showing how these points relate. The conclusion also repeats several ideas rather than synthesising them. Use clearer links between each claim and its explanation, and keep each paragraph focused on a small number of connected points.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant topic vocabulary, including “work placement,” “practical knowledge,” “employment,” “scholarship” and “accommodation,” so the reader can understand the main subject and arguments. However, the range is limited and several word-choice, collocation and spelling errors make parts difficult to read. Examples include “too much focus on theoretical knowledge,” “financial weak,” “living expences” and “built them strong from strugle.” Some phrases, such as “future better job purpose,” do not express the intended meaning naturally. Aim to learn accurate word partnerships and check spelling and word forms carefully. More precise vocabulary for costs, career preparation and personal development would help you express these ideas with greater clarity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a contrast with “However” and a result clause beginning “thus.” The overall meaning is usually recoverable, but errors in sentence structure, agreement, articles and punctuation occur across the response. For example, “Universities are too much focus” lacks a correct verb pattern, while “students ... that can not able study abroad” has an incomplete construction. In “it create problem,” the subject and verb do not agree, and several sentences run together without appropriate punctuation. Practise building accurate subject–verb–object sentences first, then add subordinate clauses. Check articles and plural forms, and use full stops to separate complete ideas.

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